The invention relates to an axially contractable actuator particularly suited for robotics applications.
Robotics technology is frequently presented with the problem of mimicking the function of human hands and arms. Mechanical analogies to hands and arms clearly must include some replacement for the many human muscles used to flex and move the human fingers, hands and arms. When fluid power, either hydraulic or pneumatic, is used in robotics, a fluid cylinder appears to be a likely substitute for human muscles. However, high pressure fluid requirements due to limited fluid cylinder size and space and positioning problems complicate the use of fluid cylinders or make their use impossible for some applications such as in self-propelling walking robots.
Fluid cylinders are also not entirely suitable as actuators in the food and drug industries. Restrainers must be used to contain dripping caused by leaking seals and misaligned cylinder rods.